


take my teeth (tear through my cheeks)

by Possiblyenjoyable



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Gen, M/M, Platonic Relationships, and the greed/ling one can be read as either platonic or romantic, anyway!, personally i like to see it as greed realizing he might have feelings for Stupid Ling, this is mostly platonic relationships between ling and several people, trans!Ling, transgender character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-12
Updated: 2017-06-12
Packaged: 2018-11-13 11:31:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11184207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Possiblyenjoyable/pseuds/Possiblyenjoyable
Summary: Four times Ling was gendered correctly, and one time he was misgendered.Or, the one where Ling is trans and Greed doesn't react well to disrespectful people.





	take my teeth (tear through my cheeks)

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys! just as a quick note, i am a trans male. please don't try to tell me that any part of ling's experience being trans is unrealistic, as i am basing it on my own personal feelings and experiences with being a trans guy.

Ling is fifteen when he leaves his home to save it.

Twelfth son of the Emperor of Xing. Twelfth  _ son. _ Unfortunately, having been born as one of the  _ daughters _ , Ling’s identity is something of an issue. Telling his father had been no easy task. He’d cried, broken down, even begged his father to help him with this  _ one _ thing. 

(Afterwards, Ling had apologized profusely and promised to never show that kind of weakness again.)

The Emperor had taken the news… surprisingly well. He asked a few questions, Ling told him what he wanted his name to be, and he told Ling that he could get him a double mastectomy within a year. However, if Ling was mistaken for a girl in public, he was not allowed to reveal his identity as one of the sons of the Emperor. It was too much of a risk for their people to find out about Ling’s gender identity. 

Ling leaves his country knowing full well that he’ll likely have to deal with the occasional misgendering along with every other hardship. He’s lucky that he has a naturally strong jawline and a fit body, though— it helps a great deal with the whole  _ I’m a boy _ thing. He’s used to speaking from his chest now as well, even if it does give him a headache by the end of the day. He’s grateful when it’s just him, Lan Fan, and Fu. He doesn’t have to force his voice to be so deep and worry about them misgendering him. They’ve always been understanding of his situation.

The only problem is that Ling has  _ no _ idea how people in Amestris function. For all he knows, he might be prone to getting misgendered in this new country. He certainly hopes not.

That doesn’t seem to be the case. Edward Elric gives him all the reassurance he needs.

_ “Alright, fine! We got better things to be doin’, but we’ll help this guy if you really want to, Al.” _

This  _ guy. _

Ling nearly overcomes his fatigue then and there when Ed refers to him as that. It doesn’t occur to him to be offended by Ed’s blatant lack of interest in helping him, but the fact that he passes as a boy to the two brothers while lying unconscious in an alleyway is practically a blessing.

He’ll never get over how good it feels to be recognized for who he is.

 

Ling is waiting in a cell for something good to happen the next time he feels that same euphoria.

The last thing he expects is for a serial killer in a rather strange-looking suit of armor to pass by his cell, stating that Ling isn’t worth his time before suddenly changing his mind upon learning that he’s from Xing. He’s out of there in less than a second after that, running alongside the oddball as if they’ve known each other all their lives. Ling doesn’t care that the suit— Barry, he learns is his name— is apparently a wanted murderer; he’d gladly say that he’s best friends with him if it meant getting out of that prison. Being all buddy-buddy with a serial killer isn’t as strange a concept as it probably should be.

Then they bust into  _ her _ cell— Maria Ross. Ling had heard enough chatter amongst the guards to know her name. He doesn’t care what she did to get in there, doesn’t care if she’s guilty or innocent, doesn’t even care if she decides to come with them or not. That’s her choice. When she marches out of the room with fire in her eyes, Ling happily comes along with her and Barry.

“You’d better know a way out of here, Metal Boy!” she says as she passes Barry. 

“Ooh, you’ve got spunk!” Barry says excitedly. Ling almost laughs at that.

“Shut up!” Ross whirls around, pointing a finger at Barry. “As much as I hate to say it, you’re leading the way. So get in front of me. And you,” she looks at Ling, her determined expression faltering into something more concerned and confused, “you stay close, I guess. I don’t know what a boy as young as you is doing hanging around someone like him, but if you’re coming with, I’m counting on you to help us out of here.” Ling watches as her expression shifts back to its previous state of determination, her hands slapping roughly on either side of her face. “I’ll do what I have to do!”

_ A boy. _

Ling decides that he likes Maria Ross.

 

Sometimes Ling forgets that not everyone climbs in through windows and runs along the sides of buildings all day like he does. He remembers that this isn’t exactly normal behavior when he stealthily swoops into the room where the younger Elric brother and his (admittedly very pretty) lady-friend are currently residing. 

“All this stuff with Lieutenant Ross… I have no idea what’s going on,” Alphonse is saying when Ling enters the room.

“Good thing I can explain it all!” Ling says cheerfully. 

It’s almost comical how loudly the two of them shriek in surprise.

“Uh, when’d you get here?” the lady-friend asks in a shaky voice.

“And how’d you even get  _ in?"  _ Alphonse adds.

“The window,” Ling says. “I mean, it seemed appropriate for a criminal.”

“Seriously?” Al and the girl say simultaneously. Ling doesn’t need to open his eyes to know how  _ beyond _ irritated they both are. 

He nods. “Seriously. But anyway! First, there’s no need for you to worry about Ed’s well-being. I’m sure he’s just fine.” Ling hopes he is, anyway. He’d hate for something bad to happen to the first person in Amestris who’d shown him hospitality.

He takes the time to explain the whole  _ Maria-Ross-isn’t-actually-dead  _ situation to Al and his friend Winry, feeling that they deserve to know as much as he does, especially in return for the information on immortality they’re about to give him.

“I don’t see how that has anything to do with me.”

_ What? _

Ling can feel his entire body thrumming with nervous energy as Alphonse repeatedly denies that he has any information on obtaining immortality. _ Then  _ he has the  _ nerve _ to get up and walk away from him, stating that he’ll “tell him when he gets back.” Okay. Sure. How is Ling supposed to believe that?

Still, he guesses there’s nothing he can really do about it. If Alphonse refuses to tell him right now, then that’s that. Waiting a little bit longer for the secret to immortality will be well worth it.

Except now he’s stuck in a room with Winry. Alone.

“So, Ling,” Winry says after a few moments of awkward silence. Ling tilts his head in response. “You’re a prince?”

“Yep,” Ling says with a nod. “Twelfth son of the Emperor of Xing. And you’re a mechanic?”

“Yeah,” Winry says. “I designed Ed’s automail. I do all the repairs, too.” 

Ling smiles. “Impressive,” he says in earnest. “He held up well against my guards. I suppose he has you to thank for that.”

Winry sits up a little straighter at that, her face tinting pink at the compliment. She waves a hand dismissively. “I guess so. It’s nothing, really. He always ends up breaking them anyway, it seems.”

“It’s not nothing,” Ling insists. “It’s an art, what you do. It keeps Ed alive, and in turn keeps Al alive. So I guess it kept me alive, too, in a way.”

Winry blinks. “What do you mean?”

Ling laughs softly. “If Ed wasn’t around, who knows who would have found me collapsed in that alleyway. As annoying as he is, I do owe him much.”

At that, Winry laughs a real, full-blown laugh. “That about sums up Ed. Annoying, but he has a heart of gold.”

“So he does,” Ling says. He opens his eyes for a moment to find Winry staring at him with a curious expression. “What?”

She blinks again, then shrugs. “Oh, nothing. It’s just… Ed mentioned how he met a guy with hair even longer than his. That was you, wasn’t it?” 

“Probably,” Ling nods. “I’m the only one of my brothers with hair this long. It often gets me mistaken for a girl.”

Winry is quiet for a long moment, and Ling is surprised to find that he doesn’t mind it. This girl gives off one of the most calming, comforting auras he’s ever felt. She’s a good person. He can tell that much.

“That bothers you, doesn’t it?” Winry asks softly.

Ling’s shoulders tense just the slightest bit. He can sense Lan Fan outside, and he knows that she’s just as tense as he is right now. “A bit. Sometimes more than others.” He pauses. “Winry, have you ever met someone whose gender identity didn’t match up with the one they were given at birth?”

No change in Winry’s aura. He can’t feel her tense, can’t sense her emotions go in another direction. He opens his eyes again to find her looking at him with the same curious expression as before.

“I’ve never met anyone personally,” she says. “At least, not as far as I know. But I’ve heard of people like that. Lots of people have different opinions about it.”

Ling’s eyes remain open. “And may I ask what your opinion on it is?”

Winry doesn’t miss a beat as she answers. “I think that they’re who they say they are. Their identities should be treated with respect, no matter how they look on the outside.”

The corner of Ling’s mouth twitches upward into a half-smile. If only the rest of the world felt that way, he thinks. “Well-said.”

More silence. Ling doesn’t close his eyes, but he breaks eye contact with Winry, glancing down at the floor. 

“It’s hard, isn’t it?”

Ling’s head snaps back up, eyes wide with surprise this time as he looks at Winry. She looks… concerned. Of course she looks concerned. Ling doesn’t know why he would expect anything else from someone who gives off such a sense of comfort.

He doesn’t respond for a few seconds, but when he does, it’s a simple nod.

“I’m sorry,” Winry says quietly.

“Don’t be,” Ling finally speaks. “It’s hard to expect that I  _ won’t  _ get misgendered, you know? I’m used to it.” He falters, eyes shutting once again. “Though, as much as I love having long hair, I sometimes wonder if I should cut it. Maybe that would help.”

“Ling,” Winry says, her voice soft, “you don’t need to have short hair to be a boy. If you like your hair long, keep it that way. Ed’s been growing out his hair for years now, and  _ he’s  _ a boy. You can have long hair and still be a boy, Ling. Both you and Ed are proof enough of that.”

Ling unfolds his arms to reach back and touch his ponytail, dragging it over his shoulder. He chuckles. “Ed sure seems to be good at braiding. I wonder if I could pull something like that off.”

Winry smiles. “I’m sure if you ask him, he’d be happy to help.”

Ling wonders how he managed to end up liking this girl so much in such a short amount of time. He can understand why Ed is so close to her.

“Thank you, Winry.”

 

Gluttony’s stomach is, without a doubt,  _ not _ in Ling’s top-ten places to vacation to in the future. 

Ed seems to feel the same way. Ling doesn’t know if he’ll ever be able to get rid of the taste or the smell of blood after this, and he finds himself pouting at the thought of having to get rid of these clothes. These are nice clothes. Better than Ed’s, anyway. 

Ling supposes that there are worse people he could get sucked into a homunculus with than Edward Elric. He’s obnoxious, hot-headed, and snappy, but Ling won’t deny that he’s amused by his antics.  _ Elric brother telepathy? _ Ling would find that hilarious under any other circumstances. Unfortunately, though, they’re trapped in a cavern of blood that just so happens to be the belly of the monster they were just fighting. Ling can’t help but think,  _ Well, this might as well happen. Not much weirder than anything else I’ve encountered since I arrived in Amestris. _

“Y’know,” Ed says around a mouthful of leather boot, “Winry told me about you wantin’ to chop off all your hair. ‘Cause you keep gettin’ mistaken for a girl and stuff.”

Ling freezes mid-bite, eyes opening a fraction to look at Ed. “Oh? Is that all she said?”

Ed blinks, swallows. “Uh, yeah. I mean, she also told me that she thinks your long hair is awesome.”

Ling’s lips curl upwards, warmth flooding through his chest. “Did she now? That’s kind of her to say.”

Ed nods. “I always liked havin’ long hair once it grew out. Sure, sometimes I get mistaken for a girl from behind, but there’s nothin’ offensive about bein’ a girl.” He shrugs. “Anyway, I don’t get why people think  _ you’re _ one. Maybe from behind I can see how someone might think that, but you’ve got broad shoulders. And from the front, you  _ definitely  _ don’t look like one. You got no reason to chop your hair off.”

Ling is still smiling despite himself. It doesn’t seem like Ed knows what Winry knows and he’d like it to stay that way for now. But still, Ed’s words do hit a marker within him.

“She also mentioned that you wondered what you’d look like with a braid,” Ed continues, a grin crossing his face. “I really make ‘em look that cool, huh?”

Ling’s smile falls, his eyes rolling into the back of his skull. “Hardly,” he deadpans. “It just seems like an interesting change of style. I only ever wear it in a ponytail out in public.”

“Well, I’d braid it right now but my hands are sort of covered in blood,” Ed says, making a face. “And so is your hair.”

“And so is our everything,” Ling sighs. “Thanks, Ed. Maybe one day after I become emperor, I’ll hire you as my personal hair-braider.”

Ed snorts. “Sure. That’ll happen.”

 

 

Immortality is definitely not what Ling had been expecting. He doesn’t quite know  _ what  _ he’d been expecting, but it certainly wasn’t being possessed by a homunculus with daddy issues. He’s fully conscious inside of his body, watching the world fly by while Greed controls where they go and what they do. How is he going to get back to Xing if he can’t even control his own body?

From the moment he realized he’d been possessed, Ling’s been getting eaten away at by his anxiety. Not over how he’s going to return home, no— but over what Greed thinks of his body. Being the one in control, Greed can obviously tell that Ling is lacking a bit in the genitals department. He hasn’t said anything, though. That’s what’s strange to Ling. He even referred to Ling as a  _ prince _ when talking to Wrath. Ling wishes he could hear Greed’s innermost thoughts; maybe then he’d have some idea of what Greed thinks of his being transgender.

It happens after Bido. After Wrath.

Neither of them know who this person is— just some random drifter who they had the misfortune of bumping into in the forest after Greed’s battle with Wrath. Ling’s body is tired, Greed’s control is fading, but Ling knows that if they’re going to defeat whoever this is, he needs to leave Greed in control. Otherwise he’ll collapse on the spot.

The fucker had been looking for a fight, apparently. He’s a thief, they learn soon enough. But what he doesn’t understand is that they don’t have anything of value on them other than Greed’s stone, and they’re not about to give that up. Greed is still hopped up on adrenaline from the battle with Wrath, his arms clawing wildly at the attacker and blocking any blows that come his way.

When the attacker manages to land a blow with his sword to their right shoulder, Greed groans. “Just fuck  _ off _ already!” he says through his teeth. “I’m not givin’ you shit!”

The attacker laughs, his voice deep and gravely. “You expect me to believe that?” he says, swiping his sword down towards their head. Greed ducks out of the way, moving quickly to the side. “Ah, you’re fast! You fight well. Almost as well as a  _ real  _ man!”

Ling’s stomach lurches.

Greed stops. 

“What did you say?” Ling’s eyes fly open at Greed’s tone of voice. His claws are twitching at his sides, anger flaring up within him. 

The attacker stops as well, a good distance away from Greed. He offers a low chuckle of amusement. “You’re no man,” he says. “Your frame is much too feminine to be male. Your face is too soft. Your voice may be deep and your chest may be flat, but you are not—”

Ling barely has a chance to react before Greed has his claws buried in the attacker’s chest. 

“Don’t you  _ ever _ insult him,” Greed hisses over the other’s face. He falters, shaking his head. “Me. Don’t ever insult  _ me.”  _ He glares down at the paling attacker, slowly pulling his bloodied claws from his chest. The attacker takes one final breath before his chest becomes still.

Ling is silent.

Greed shakes himself off, blood flying from his claws. He steps off of the man, breathing hard as he attempts to right himself. 

Ling smiles. 

“What the fuck are you smiling about, you little pissant?” Greed snaps.

“Oh, nothing,” Ling says casually. “Just the fact that you  _ do  _ have feelings, apparently.”

Greed scowls. “What are you goin’ on about?”

Ling pauses, his smile faltering. “I never got around to asking you about it,” he says. “I’m a boy. A boy who ended up in a body that doesn’t match up with who I feel I am. I’ve been wondering where you stood on that, and… well, now I know.”

Greed retracts his claws and his shield, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I’m a homunculus, kid. I don’t give a shit what you got in your pants. I knew from the second I took over what you were.”

Ling’s smile returns to his face. “And you killed a man to defend my honor! How sweet.”

“Hey!” Greed snaps again. “Your body is  _ my  _ body too, you shithead.” He pauses, grumbling under his breath. “I killed him because he was offending  _ me.  _ Not you. Me.”

Ling snickers. He notices how weak Greed is becoming and decides that in a few minutes, he’ll be taking control once again.

“So you care about me. So what?” Ling shrugs, his smile splitting into a grin. “Nothing to be ashamed of, Greed.”

“Shut up!” Greed demands. “You keep talkin’ like that, I’ll tell everyone you know about your little  _ secret.”  _

Ling raises an eyebrow, still grinning. “No you won’t.”

Greed only sighs in defeat. That’s more than enough for Ling.  
  


**Author's Note:**

> y'all i'm such a fuckin slut for trans ling. and honestly nonbinary ed but i don't think he realizes that until like. after the events of the show. so not within this fic. anyway i hope u all liked this!! i just finished rewatching fma:b for a fourth time and i'm a mess of a person so yeah. if you could comment that would be great!!! (also the title is from the song "body" by mother mother, and it's like......THE dysphoria song)


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